Fluid pressure control apparatus



Jan. 12, 1954 E. F. STOVER FLUID PRESSURE CONTROL APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 15, 1951 Mm QN 52 w INVENTOR.

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Patented Jan. 12, 1954 UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE FLUID-PRESSURE CONTROL APPARATUS Emory Frank Stover, Wynnewood, Pa. Application March 13, 1951, Serial .No. 215,204

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to control apparatus and moreparticularly to apparatus for supplying fluid under'pressure to fluid actuated control devices, such as regulating valves, for controll ing a variable, such as the new of fluid, rat predetermined rates.

It is the principal object of the present invention to .provide control mechanism which is adapted, at predetermined intervals, "to test the correctness of a controlled variable, and if adjustment is required, to provide an adjustment of large magnitude for large deviations, of :small er magnitude for smaller deviations and of zero magnitude for .zero -deviation.

.It 'isa further object tof :thepresentinvention to provide control apparatus, :responsive to a controlled variable, in which departures, or deviations from the prescribed value are utilized to effect it an adjustment.

the invention will be apparent from the specification and claims.

'The mature and characteristic features "of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereoflin which:

Figure 1 is a front'elevational view,partly diagrammatic, of control apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. "2 is a horizontal sectional viewrltaken approximately on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. "3 is a fragmentary sectional "view, enlar'ged, takenapproxima tely on line '3-3 ofFi'g. i1; "and i Fig. 4'15 a fragmentary view, enlarged, of the pilot valve control levers.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein "are illustrative merely and that various modifioationsand changes canbe made'in the structure disclosed withoutdepartingfrom'the spirit of the invention.

Like numerals referto like parts throughout the several views.

Referring more particularly to "the drawings.

in which a preferred embodiment of the vention is illustrated, a primary metering idevice is shown which is adapted for obtaining a differential pressure or force derived from fiuid flow through conduits in which Venturi "tubes, orifices, nozzles or .pitot tubes :are connected, or from Pitot tubes employed for obtaining the speed of ships, aeroplanes .or the like. .Forlpurposes .of explanation, the primary metering device is shown in the form of a Venturi tube 1M connected in a conduit ll for measuring the rate of flow of fluid through the conduit H.

The upstream or high pressure side of the primary metering device ID has a pipe will :connected thereto, a shut-offvalve l3 being ,provided in the pipe It. The downstream or lower pressure portion :of the primary metering "device Hl-has aipipe Mconnectedtheretoya shut-- ofi valve 15 :being providedin thepipe 14. l'T-he pipes 1 2 and M are connected by a byepassiipip'e Shaving a shut-off valve I! interposed therein. A "motor operated valve 18, preferably of the diaphragm type, and having a diaphragm +9 and spring 28 is provided in the conduit M ior controlling the fluid flow therethrough. Alpine 2! is provided, connected above the diaphragm IQ, 'for the delivery of control pressure .fiuid.

At any preferred location with respect to the primary metering device ID, a vertical mounting or supporting plate 2 4 is provided, having iawpi voted lever v25 mounted thereon.

The lever 25 preferably is of angle stock with a horizontal flange 26 anda vertical flange .2], and if desired the horizontal Jfiange .may I have rate seting indicia23 thereon.

The lever "25 is preferably .mounted on the plate '24 with a suitable fulcrum for movement in a vertical plane and for this purpose a'bracket 28 fixedly secured on the plate 24 bybolts 29. may have clamped thereto by a clamping plate 3!), and bolts 3!, a thin fiexiblebronzeiulcrum strip 32 which 'is also secured by a clamping .plate 33 and bolts 34 to the lfiange 26 of the the lever 25 "for applying a force thereon. The .pipe [2 is connected in communication withithe "interior er the bellows 3 5.

A second flexible metallic bellows ifl is provided, preferably axially aline'd withthezbellows 35, is supported at one end by a'fixedsupportin'g bracket 38 secured to the plate 24 and havingits free end in engagement with the flange 26 of the lever 25 for applying a force thereon. The pipe I4 is connected in communication with the interior of the bellows 31.

The bellows 35 and 3'! are preferably of equal eifective area, so that the differential of the pressure from the primary metering device I8 is effective as a resultant force applied on the lever 25.

The lever 25 preferably has a counterweight 48, movable therealong and the weight 48 is adapted to be held in the desired position of adjustment on the lever 25 by means of a screw 4|, for zero balance. The lever 25 is also preferably provided with a loading device, such as a weight 42, movable along the lever 25, and the weight 42 is adapted to be held in the desired position of adjustment by means of a screw 43, for determining the prescribed value of the variable, the indicia 23 aiding in making the desired setting.

The lever 25 preferably has mounted thereon, on the rear face of the flange 21, a control lever 45, which extends beyond the free end of the lever 25.

The control lever 45 is preferably also made from a piece of angle stock, with a horizontal flange 4B and a vertical flange 41. A flexible fulcrum strip 48 is provided, similar to the strip 32, is secured to the vertical flange 21 of the lever 25 by a clamping plate 49 and bolts 58, and is secured by a clamping plate and bolts '52 to the vertical flange 41. The lever 45, as thus mounted is adapted for movement rearwardly in a direction at right angles to the lever 25.

Beyond the end of the lever 25, and for moving the lever 45, a servo-motor 55 is provided, and is carried by a mounting bracket 56 secured to the plate 24 by screws 51, and is provided with a casing 58, secured to the bracket 56 in fluid tight relationship, and having a cylindrical side wall 59 and a circular end wall 68. Within the interior of the casing 58, a flexible metallic bellows BI is provided. The bellows 6| has an end closure 62 which is secured at one end in fluid tight relationship to the wall 68. The opposite end of the bellows 6| has a stem 53 secured thereto in any desired manner and extending therethrough.

The space between the exterior of the bellows GI and the interior of the casing 58 provides an expansible fluid pressure chamber 84.

The servo-motor 55 has a body portion 65 with a bore 66 therein into which the stem 63 extends and by which the stem 63 is guided and supported. The body portion 65 preferably has another bore 61, preferably vertically disposed and in communication with the bore 58. The

bore 61, at its lower end is provided with an adjustable bleeder screw 68 in internally threaded engagement in the lower end of the bore 67.

A fluid supply connection 69, is provided in communication with the lower end of the bore 51 for supplying pressure regulated and filtered fluid, such as air, from any desired source. The screw 58, by its adjustment inwardly or outwardly in the bore 51, provides a regulated feed of pressure fluid for outward actuation of the stem-63.

On the upper end of the body portion 65, a housing I8 is provided, interiorly threaded for engagement with an externally threaded portion 1| of the body at, a sealing sleeve. 12 being p evided for preventing the escape of pressure fluid at this location.

Within the housing 18, and at the upper end of the bore 61, a valve ball I3 is provided seating in the upper end of the bore 61, and in the space in the interior of the housing I8, above the ball I3, a weight I5 is provided of predetermined mass, and in the form of a piston with a lower end face I6.

The upper end of the housing I8 is closed by a closure plug 11. The closure plug 11 has a vent I8, communicating with the atmosphere, for permitting the free upward and downward movement of the weight 15'.

In the side wall of the housing I8, a port I9 is provided, in communication with the atmosphere for the discharge of fluid.

The outer end of the stem 63 has a verticalpresser bar 88 carried thereon for engagement between its ends with the flange 46 of the lever 45.

The plate 24 has mounted, on the rear thereof,- a supply and waste type pilot valve 85 which has} a body 86 with a central bore 81. The bore 81- has a passageway 88 in communication there-- with to which the pipe 2I is connected. If desired a variable restriction screw 89 may be provided in the pipe 2I, at the body portion 86, for delaying the delivery and discharge of motor fluid. The body 86 has mounted thereon, preferably by a fitting 98, in threaded engagement therewith, an inlet valve ball 9| normally moved to closed position by spring 92. The valve ball 9| has a stem 93 in engagement therewith and the stem 93 extends across the bore 81 and through a soft rubber sealing disk 94, and projects beyond the body 86 for actuation of the valve ball 9|.

Within the fitting 98, a supply fitting 85 is provided, with which fluid supply connection 98 is in communication. The supply connection 98 is connected to any suitable source of regulated and filtered pressure fluid, such as air.

The valve body 85 also is provided with a discharge valve ball 91, normally moved to closed position by a spring 98. The spring 98 is in engagement at its opposite end with a closure plug 99. The valve ball 91 is provided with a stem I in engagement therewith which extends through its seat and outwardly beyond the body 86, for actuation. A discharge port I8I is provided in communication with the atmosphere for the discharge of fluid in addition to that which might discharge along the stem I88.

A pair of valve actuating levers I82 and I83 is provided, pivotally mounted by means of Pivot pins I84 and I85. The lever I82 extends downwardly past and is in engagement with the projecting portion of the valve stem 93 and the lever I83 extends upwardly past and is in engagement with the projecting portion of the valve stem I08. The free ends of the levers I82 and I83 are separated a predetermined distance, to permit the free movement therebetween of the horizontal flange 46 of the lever 45 under certain conditions. Extending outwardly from the free ends of the levers I82 and I83, each of these levers has a plurality of stepped faces I85, with edge portions I81 sloped to prevent locking of the flange thereagainst.

. The mode of operation will now be pointed out.

With the fluid flow through the conduit II at a rate of flow determined by the positioning" of .the motor valve I8, pressure will be effective variable, tas determined by the setting of the weight '42, "the lever-25 will beheld in aipredetermined position.

l Fluid underjpressure suppliedthrough' the supjply connection '96 is vailable at the .lpil'o't valve "85, and fluid under pressure supplied through the supply connection 69 is available at the servomotor .55.

Thefunctioningof the servo-motor 55 will now "be described. Fluid from .the .supplybonnectifon 6.9"pa'sses ata slowlra'tei past thebleedersoreWBfl and enters the borelifi, the cross-bore BIandthe chamber 64 and'slowly compresses the bellows Bl, thus advancing the stem "63 and thejpress'er bar 80. As the pressureincreasesinthe bore'iifi, the valve ba1lll3 is finally lifted slightly from its s'eatand the first escape of pressure fluid raises the pressure on the lower end face 'lfi of the-weight 15. The wei htlii is movedquickly upwardly against the closure plug H. The valve ball 13, 'being relieved of theeffect oftlie weight 15,blows 'wide open, andthe accumulated pressure fluid in the bores 56 and B1 and chamber 6!,above the bleeder screw '68, is exhausted quickly through the port :9 to atmosphere. The springaction of the bellows Bl returns the "assembly comprising the bellowsfi l ,the stem83,.and the presser barllll "to its original position. The weight and the valve ball 13 drop back to their initial'positions, with the valve ball 13in seated position at the upper end of the bore 66, and the cycle is repeated. The travel of the presser bar8il is determined by the value of the mass of weight 75, and the .frequency of the cycle is determined by'the setting of the bleeder screw 68 and the total volume o'i' the bores 65 and Bland the chamber64.

The presser bar 30, upon its 'advancingmovement, engages WiththeLfree end o'f-the Icontrol lever 45 and movesit from aposition parallel to the lever and rearwardly towards the valve actuating levers Hi2 and! 0.3.

If the existing rate of flowin'the conduit 1 Isis in conformity withlthe setting ofthe weight '42, thenupon'theoceurrence of the rearward movement of the control lever the'horizontal flange 46, of the control lever '45, will .pass between the spacedfree ends ofthe actuatinglevers l2 and IE3 and nochange will be e'ffectedat thepilot valve 85.

If the actual rateof flow in the conduit ill does not agree with the setting, the free end of the lever 25 and the control lever 45 carried thereby, will be moved to a position out of the horizontal. lf the-actual flow istoo high, upon the advancing movement "of the. stem 63, the presser bar 21 engages the control lever 45,iat whatever its [position may be, and forces it against the lever 102, ripening the supply valve 91, andallowing-pres- "sure fluid to How throughthe-bore 3 and the passageway 88 to the pipe 2! and therethrough to the motor valve [8 to close'the'motor 'valve to the extentrequired to bring the flow down tothe prescribed value.

If the original deviation was small, the horizontal flangedt of the con'trol lever 45 will engage the lowest stepped face Hilton the lever M2, and most of "the cycle of the servo-motor will have been terminated before this contact has been made. Thus, the time interval during which the supply valve 9| is open will be very short so that '6 1 1113; .53, Very "small correction Pin "the i'of "the motor valve T8 'Willbiria'de.

If the deviation is larger the horizontal "flange 4t of'the control lever It "will engage a higher or *theh-igheststeiip'cd face Ill 6 on the lever Ill 2, and the supply'valve "9 i will be held "open for a longer period or even Iorith'e longest fperiod available and will pass "a Ieonsiderably larger quantity 'of control Iflii'id. "Ihe'qiiantity of'fiuid formaximum timefperio'dofoperationmay be ofthe order of ten "to Tfifteen times great "as for the shortest time'perio'd whenthelowest stepped face I06 is v engaged.

"In order-to providestability of control :a'ndto .avoid huntlnglt is desirablethat the correction (should always beless than the deviationto be corrected.

"If the "existing 'ratecf' flow i's'ltoo low, "a "similar actionivill be-efiectedwith downward movement crth'e 'contrdl lever 45 and engagement of the horizontal flange 4'6 "thereof with "one on? the stepp'edfaces l llfiofthe lever [03.

Ift'he variable does "not devi'ate fro'm the set value "and "the fflange passes between the ends of 'the leve'r's I02 "andTllil then theifiuid in the motor valve control 'system is locked therein "beeause bothvalves 9| andll'l remain closed. The only control 'flui'd required is the small amount Tneeded toactu'ate the servo-motor and'this quan- "tity is drdinarily'sm'all as compared to the waste from a continuous bleeder type of instrument.

It should be noted 'thatif the jpressure fluid vsupply.slioul'd fail, the controlled variable will. re- 'iriain at its previous setting and will not have any tend'ency'to drift to'either extreme, as with a continuous 'bl'eeder type of instrument.

I claim:

1. "In control "apparatus, a control member movable in a .Jpredetermined plane path responsive to force dhanges of a variable condition, a fluid pressure operatedlmotor having a portion movable in aprede'termined timed cyclefol' moving an end extension ofsaid member in another lp'ath normal to said first mentioned path, .a pilot valve, an actuator lfor said pilot valve with which said movableportion is engagecable, said a'ctuatorhaving aplurality of facing stepped surfaces 'for engagcment'by said member at different positions in said other path, and means ad- 'justa bly mounted with .respect .to .said control member fortapp'lying on saidcontrol member a force in opposition to "the'forces applied by the variable condition.

"2.TIn control apparatus, a control .menrber .movable in a predetermined .path responsive to changes in a variable condition, said control member-having resilientlycarried thereby an end extension movableinla. path. normal to -said first mentioned path, a 'fluid pressure operated moltor i having. a iportionemovable in a predetermined timed cycle for moving .said extension in said normal path, a pilot valve an actuator for said pilot valve With'whichsaidmovable portion is engageable, said actuator having -a plurality of facing stepped surfacesiforengagement by said membenat difierent positions in-said otheripath and connecting surfaces tbetween said stepped surfaces :at an inclination :for preventing looking engagement of :said movable portion therewith.

3. In .fluidtpressure control apparatus, a first ccntrolimembermovablein azpredeterminedpath in response to force changes of a variable condition, a loading member adjustably mounted with respect to said first control member for .applying a force thereon opposing the force having a movable portion for actuating said second control member and control means for effecting timed operation of said movable portion, a pilot valve having a connection to a source of pressure fluid and having supply and discharge valves, a fluid delivery connection interposed between said valves, and operating means for said valves having facing stepped surfaces for engagement by said movable portion, as determined by the positioning of said first control member.

4. In fluid pressure control apparatus, a first control member movable ina predetermined path in response to force changes of a variable condition, a loading member adjustably mounted with respect to said first control member for applying a lforce thereon opposing the force changes of the variable condition, a second control member resiliently carried by said first control mem-- her for movement in another path normal to said first mentioned path, a servo-motor hav ing a movable portion for actuating said second control member and control means for effecting timed operation of said movable portion, a pilot valve having a connection to a source of pressure fluid and having supply and discharge valves, a fluid delivery connection interposed between said valves and pivoted members for operating said valves with respect towhich said second control member is movable, said pivoted members having facing stepped surfaces for engagement by said movable portion as determined by the positioning of said first control member.

5. In fluid pressure control apparatus, a first control lever movable in a predetermined path in response to force changes of a variable condition, a loading member adjustably mounted with respect to said first control member for applying a force thereon opposing the force changes of the variable condition, a second control lever carried by said first control lever for movement in another path normal to said first mentioned path, a servo-motor having a movable portion for actuating said second control lever and control means for effecting timed operation of said movable portion, a pilot valve having a connection to a source of pressure fluid and having supply and discharge valves, a fluid delivery connection interposed between said valves, and operating means for selectively operating said valves including operating members for each of said valves transversely disposed with respect to said predetermined path and having a plurality of facing portions at different locations for engagement by said second control lever as determined by the positioning of said first control lever and having portions spaced to permit non-engaging movement of said second control lever.

6. In fluid flow control apparatus, a fluid flow conduit, 5, primary metering device in said conduit, a fluid pressure operated valve for controlling the flow through said conduit, a first control member movable in a predetermined path in response to changes in differential pressure at said primary metering device, a loading member adjustably mounted with respect to said first control member for applying a force thereon .opposing the force changes of the-variable condition, a second control member resiliently carried by said first control member for movement in another path normal to said first mentioned path, a servo-motor having a movable portion for actuating said second control member in said other path, said servo-motor having control means for eflecting timed operation of said movable portion, a pilot valve having a connection to a source of pressure fluid and having supply and discharge valves, a fluid delivery connection interposed between said supply and discharge valves and connected to said fluid pressure operated valve, and operating means for selectively operating said supply and discharge valves ineluding operating members for each of said valves transversely disposed with respect to said predetermined path and each having a plurality of facing stepped surfaces at diiferent locations for engagement by said second control member as determined by the positioning of said first con trol member and having portions spaced to permit non-engaging movement of said second control member.

7. In fluid flow control apparatus, a fluid flow conduit, a primary metering device in said conduit, a fluid pressure operated valve for controlling the flow through said conduit, a first control lever movable in a predetermined path in response to changes in difierential pressure at said primary metering device, a loading member adjustably mounted with respect to said first control member for applying a force thereon opposing the force changes of the variable condition, a second control lever fulcrumed on said first control lever for movement in another path normal to said first mentioned path, a servomotor having a movable portion for moving said second control lever in said other path, said servo-motor having control means for effecting timed operation of said movable portion, a pilot valve having a connection to a source of pressure fluid and having supply and discharge valves, a fluid delivery connection interposed between said supply and discharge valves and connected to said fluid pressure operated valve, and operating means for selectively operating said supply and discharge valves including pivoted operating members for each of said supply and discharge valves transversely disposed with re spect to said predetermined path and each having a plurality of facing stepped surfaces at different locations for engagement by said second control lever as determined by the positioning of said first control lever and having portions spaced to permit non-engaging movement of said second control lever.

EMORY FRANK STOVER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 955,824 Leeds July 26, 1910 1,007,521 Boys et a1 Oct. 31 1911 1,515,173 Roucka Nov. 11, 1924 1,585,170 Roucka May 18 1926 1,987,200 Mabey Jan. 51935 2,035,472 Hammond Mar. 51 1930 2,430,503 Greening Nov. 11,1947

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country 650,464 France Sept. 2 l 1928 

